Akatsuki Translations

Kalkara Nuu Sheila, who was sent from her parents’ home to serve the Shinra, the king of Gradol, was given only one job by the Caraleigh family.

To “monitor” Echelle Shinra Caraleigh.

Not to serve as an attendant, but to monitor. It was a mission ordered by the head of the family who despised and feared Echelle, who was favored by the Mirror Spirit, an evil spirit.

The mission was to immediately “dispose of” her if she exhibited even the slightest power of the evil spirit.

It was a cold-blooded order. No matter who it was, there was no salvation since it was ordered by her own father. And Kalkara had no choice but to accept it. No matter who it was, it was an order from a Shinra. If she refused, her parents’ home, the Sheila family, would be treated harshly. If they were expelled from the city, her parents and young sisters would die in the wild.

There was no choice but to nod.

――I will be your attendant. I am Kalkara. -Kalkara

――…You won’t hit me? -Echelle

――No. I won’t hit you. -Kalkara

――…I see. -Echelle

The first contact was terrible.

At that time, Echelle, who had no allies around her, was already in a state of physical and mental devastation, and she was even scared of Kalkara, who was supposed to be her attendant on the surface. Even among the Nameless drifting from city to city, it would be rare to find someone with such lifeless eyes.

However, it would be troubling if she was feared and kept at a distance. Kalkara’s job was to monitor her. That’s why she acted as an attendant and as Echelle’s only ally.

It worked well. Shockingly well.

She had no allies. Her father no longer had a shred of affection for his daughter, and her mother had taken her own life. Kalkara knew that if she acted as the only ally to such a girl, she would quickly become dependent on her.

――Kalkara, you’ll stay with me until the end, right? -Echelle

――Yes, of course. -Kalkara

With such an insincere promise, Echelle became dependent on Kalkara. Everything went according to plan, and it became easy for Kalkara to accomplish her own mission. Needless to say, Echelle told Kalkara everything that happened that day and even started consulting with her about the power of the Mirror Spirit.

If the Mirror Spirit went out of control, she would know immediately and be able to kill her. That’s the kind of relationship they developed.

If there was a miscalculation, it would be that Kalkara also became deeply attached to her.

To begin with, it was an impossible task. Kalkara, a girl not much older than Echelle, couldn’t possibly carry out a cold-hearted monitoring. She was just an ordinary girl who had only acquired the skills of a priest.

――Kalkara, Kalkara! I was hit again! Many times, over and over! -Echelle

――Echelle-sama, please show me your injuries. I will heal them right away. -Kalkara

――Kalkara, I was left behind again. Even though I made tea for everyone. -Echelle

――Let’s play together. Beautiful flowers are in bloom after all. -Kalkara

――Kalkara, I’ll give this to you. It’s a treasure my mother gave me. -Echelle

――Yes, Echelle-sama. It’s an honor I don’t deserve. -Kalkara

――Kalkara. -Echelle

――Yes, Echelle-sama. -Kalkara

――Kalkara. -Echelle

――Yes, Echelle-sama. -Kalkara

And she broke. The one who broke was Kalkara.

She couldn’t bear the fact that she would have to kill her if she let her spirit power go out of control or even if she intentionally tried to use it.

Unfortunately, she was too honest.

――Please, have mercy on her. I will never let her handle the Mirror Spirit. Please grant her forgiveness. -Kalkara

When Echelle turned 14, Kalkara begged Aesula, who was acting as the head of the family in place of Garldwin, who was already bedridden at the time. She begged him to release her and Echelle. She rubbed her head on the ground, saying that she couldn’t endure it for even a second longer.

――Very well. Then, if you can carry out one last big job, I will banish you two. -Aesura

Upon receiving those words, Kalkara moved as she was ordered.

Following the abnormal city construction plan, she built several suspicious facilities. She transported magic stones far exceeding the required amount and turned the city into a dungeon. She connected with the heretics lurking among the attendants, manipulated the pseudo-dragon, and created a pretext to draw gold-rank adventurers to Gradol.

She was involved in almost all the taboos that were forbidden.

It was all to end everything. She wanted to be saved no matter what.

And it came down to the final step. The transformation of the city into a dungeon and the monsterization proceeded as planned. Her heart was gripped by the fact that Echelle was in despair over Aesula’s death sentence, but it couldn’t be helped. Arrangements for their escape were being prepared behind the scenes. Just a little more. Just a little more, just a little more, just a little more, and—

“Excuse me.” -Ur

The knife that was thrust into her plunged her consciousness and future into darkness.

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In the basement of the temporary temple.

That place, originally used as a storage room for storing supplies transported from Gradol, was now an interrogation room. The two people being interrogated were both rebels who had turned their backs on the God they served.

This was Kalkara’s interrogation room. Kalan must be somewhere around here too. The distance must have been carefully maintained to prevent any signals from being sent.

“It seems that there was no escape route prepared by Kalan from the beginning.” -Shizuku

The beautiful adventurer Shizuku smiled faintly as she told Kalkara the information she had extracted from the crazed and loyal heretic Kalan, though it was unclear how she had done so.

“What Kalan-sama was ordered by Aesula-sama was not to secure an escape route for Echelle-sama and the others, but to swiftly dispose of the two of you. I heard it directly from him.” -Shizuku

When Kalkara heard that, she thought, “Ah, I knew it.”

And the moment she thought that, she became aware of her own miserable true nature.

Aesula had no intention of letting them escape. He was going to dispose of them.

That was to be expected. There was no other way to put it.

The Caraleigh’s, who had tormented, despised, and hurt Echelle for so long, both while she was at home and after she became a Sun Knight, would never show mercy to spare Echelle’s life.

And there was no way Kalkara, who had been the perpetrator of the evil plan of the Dragon-Devoured City, Uuga, would be allowed to live either. It was something that should have been immediately obvious if she had thought about it calmly. Yet, until today, Kalkara had never realized such a clear truth.

Why was that?

The answer was simple. It was because Kalkara had been running away from reality.

She had fled from the painful reality. She had turned her eyes away, covered her ears, and rolled over to the easier path.

She had used Echelle as an excuse for that escape.

Pretending it was for Echelle’s sake, she had involved her and tried to destroy them together.

“Haha.” -Kalkara

Kalkara laughed. She mocked her own deception.

How ridiculous it was. In the face of adversity, Echelle, who had been trying to resist with a resolve to die, was much stronger and more righteous. Kalkara felt dizzy at her own foolishness, her vision clouded by vanity.

She should just die already. Kalkara seriously thought so.

“Echelle-sama is still alive, you know.” -Shizuku

Therefore, when Shizuku spoke to her as if reading her mind, it sent a chill down her spine.

“…What, all of a sudden?” -Kalkara

“You had a face that looked like you had given up on everything, so I’m giving you a word of advice.” -Shizuku

The silver eyes peeked at her. Kalkara wanted to look away from the gaze that seemed to see through everything, but she couldn’t.

“Echelle-sama is alive. Even at the brink of despair, even while being consumed by hatred, she is still living, struggling, suffering, and doing her best to be happy.” -Shizuku

Shizuku listed the facts to Kalkara, who had ended up driving Echelle to despair.

“Isn’t it too convenient for you to have driven her to despair and then try to find peace for yourself?” -Shizuku

Kalkara impulsively wanted to slap the beautiful Shizuku’s cheek with all her might, but she couldn’t because she was restrained. Instead, a voice like a squeeze came out.

“What do you want me to do…?!” -Kalkara

“Instead of righteously taking responsibility, please live on miserably and help her.” -Shizuku

“You people should do it!” -Kalkara

Kalkara thought that they were much more loyal and suitable than herself, who had betrayed God and her master.

Yet, Shizuku shook her head. Then, she abruptly changed her expression. From a ruthless executioner who blamed and punished her, to a smile like a jester mocking and teasing her.

“After all, we are just copper-rank adventurers, you know? Lacking in strength, we may not be able to fully protect her from ‘the disaster you have caused’ and end up letting her die.” -Shizuku

“You—” -Kalkara

Kalkara glared at Shizuku. However, the gaze of anger that should have been directed at Shizuku did not bind her. What Kalkara saw in her eyes was her own self, reflected in Shizuku’s silver eyes.

It was the figure of a miserable and ridiculous woman, restrained at the bottom of the earth. She was looking at herself with a look of rage. She hated herself.

Running, running, and running around, she had rolled and fallen to the bottom of the earth.

Even at this point, do you intend to run away?

The woman in the mirror of the silver eyes scolded her.

“――――SHUT UP!” -Kalkara

Kalkara raised her voice as if she was squeezing it out. In the dimly lit basement, her words echoed repeatedly, striking Kalkara’s ears each time. Every time she heard her own miserable, distorted voice, her self-esteem, which had hit rock bottom, decayed even further.

The echo faded. All that remained was the fool who had ruined everything on her own.

“…” -Kalkara

Kalkara had lost the energy to even lash out at Shizuku. She hung her head powerlessly. In front of the shattered Kalkara, Shizuku, who had shattered her, peeked at her face.

“The power of an excellent priest is necessary. Someone who will become an absolute ally.” -Shizuku

“…Do you think that child will forgive me?” -Kalkara

“Does that matter?” -Shizuku

Whether she was forgiven or not, what impact would it have on her atonement to Echelle? Being asked that question, Kalkara’s last desire within herself was seen through. The wretchedness of a traitor wanting to be forgiven by Echelle.

She, who had resolved to die, had in actuality, been killed.

Everything was completely shattered by Shizuku and her own hands. Not a single thing was left unbroken. All that remained was her indelible sins and Echelle.

In that case, there was only one thing to do.

“I will protect that child. This time, for real.” -Kalkara

Thus, through a horrific purification, Kalkara became their ally.

As a result, Ur and the others, in their predicament, gained all the keys to change the situation.

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Time rewinds to the present, in the deepest part of the Dragon-Devoured City, Uuga.

“If anything dangerous happens to her, I will ignore this place and go to her. Understand?” -Kalkara

In front of the priest who had transformed into Echelle’s guardian, Ur raised both hands. He wondered why she had become so extreme, but having an absolute ally of Echelle wasn’t bad. Ur also had no intention of betraying her.

“Currently, the safest place among us is where she is. You should also get to work.” -Ur

“…I understand.” -Kalkara

At Ur’s words, Kalkara reluctantly backed down and proceeded with the work as planned beforehand. Then, for some reason, Shizuku, who had been hiding from her, suddenly popped her head out from behind Ur.

“It seems like they will cooperate nicely.” -Shizuku

“That’s great, but why are you hiding like that?” -Ur

“The way I got her cooperation was a bit rough.” -Shizuku

“A bit?” -Ur

“It was rough.” -Shizuku

Ur pinched Shizuku’s cheeks. It was amusing to watch her cheeks stretch as she let him do it. Since Kalkara’s forceful recruitment was necessary, Shizuku hadn’t done anything wrong, and she had her own work to do, so Ur quickly let go.

“Ur!” -Lynne

A sharp voice from Lynne rang out. It was immediately clear what it meant without being told. After all, the core in front of them, the central core of the familiar creation formula, had begun to emit a tremendous glow.

The completed technique was about to activate. The unprecedented biological weapon created by the City of Sin, Gradol was on the verge of being born.

“Hii…!”

“G-God! Zerudia! Please save us…!!”

The sight of overwhelming magical power condensing and being released as light was terrifying. Even Ur felt his body go numb, let alone the attendants, many of whom collapsed to the ground, their legs giving out.

The reason they didn’t run away was probably because there was nowhere to run, and also because Kalkara was glaring at them with a fierce expression.

Honestly, Ur wanted to run away too, but sadly, he was the one in charge of this place. Not only was he not allowed to run away, but he couldn’t even show the slightest hint of agitation on the surface.

Ur wiped the sweat that had appeared on his forehead as if to hide it, took a deep breath, and exhaled.

“Alright then, let the counterattack begin.” -Ur

Ur gave the order, making his voice sound as confident as possible.

Everyone present started to move. The evil schemes that had been played out on the board known as the Dragon-Devoured City, Uuga. The operation to overturn it all had begun.